The Cheap Thrills Are Reborn

The O2 Arena is dark. A rumble transforms into what sounds like an air raid siren. Bass drones stab through, in time with bars of light above and below the stage. Shimmers appear further back, casting shadows. Electro beats kick in. Suddenly, just for a moment, the lights and sound cut out; a deep breath before the synths of Elegy begin. Spotlights hit Sam Carter as he starts to sing, the rest of the stage still murky.

Legendary Detroit rock pioneers MC50 – the modern incarnation of the MC5, led by the late founding guitarist Wayne Kramer – have announced a brand-new live album, 10 MORE, set for release on 5th December. The record captures the unrelenting power and political punch of the band’s acclaimed 2018 world tour, which reignited the revolutionary energy that first made the MC5 one of rock’s most radical and influential forces.

It was a full-on ‘90s Brit legends night at West London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, with three bands who made their mark during the decade proving they’ve still got plenty of spark left. Throw in a few special guests and a crowd that was up for it from the first note, and you’ve got one of those nights that remind you just how much fun live music can be.

On a crisp October night at London’s Roundhouse, Wyatt Flores stepped onto the stage to a roaring crowd, his name echoing around the vaulted room with a force that surprised even him. Supporting 49 Winchester on their UK run, the Oklahoma-born singer-songwriter might technically have been the opener, but from the reaction that greeted him, it was clear many had come just as much for Wyatt.

Virginia’s 49 Winchester transformed Camden’s Roundhouse into a celebration of straight-from-the-heart Americana. Early in the set, frontman Isaac Gibson acknowledged to the audience that this was the band’s first sold-out night on the tour and the response from the crowd made clear how much the moment meant to everyone in the room.

It’s been three decades since Echobelly released ON, the Britpop-era gem that cemented them as one of the most vital and distinctive voices of the mid-90s. On Thursday night at London’s Electric Ballroom, the band — fronted by the magnetic Sonya Madan and founding guitarist Glenn Johansson — returned to Camden to celebrate that legacy, playing the album in full to a sold-out crowd that sang, swayed, and grinned their way through one of the most joyous nostalgia trips of the year.

Brighton Indie Pop darlings The Kooks played quite possibly the biggest and best show of their 20 year career at The O2 Arena on Saturday night. A night of nostalgia, of celebration and of cementing themselves as one of the best British bands formed in the 21st century.

There’s something about a New Found Glory show that feels like coming home. No matter how many years have passed or how much life has changed, when those opening chords hit, you’re right back where it all started — shouting lyrics with your friends, sweaty, smiling, and completely lost in the moment.